30/20 boolit recommendations.

[Kylongrifle32]

Hello all.
I have a 14 inch MGM barrel for my T/C contender in 32/20 Winchester (30/20 it has a.308 diameter bore). I got this barrel with the intention of shooting cast bullets as a good low budget back yard plinker out to 100 yards. I have tried Lee boolits only so far since these are the molds I have on hand. They are .309 120gr RN - .309 150gr FN - .312 160gr R2 tl. I use a charge of 9.7 grs of IMR4227 on all boolits and I have seated them just far enough out so would a cri that the barrel closes freely and I do not crimp them. Since I wanted a very low cost bullet I tried them with out gas checks ( they are all GC style). All the boolits did not group to my satisfaction 2 1/2 to 3 inch groups at 50 yards with the .312 160 gr being the best. I then tried them with gas checks this tightened the group's up but I still would like to get better than 2 inch at 50 yards. I can get .75 inch group out of any 125-130 gr jacketed bullet I have tried. Would a crimp change my groupings. I have a Lyman 311140 mould on the way this is a 130gr sp boolit with a plain base I know gc's are only $35 per 1000 but this is another expensive.

Long story short do you have a favorite boolit / load that can get 1 inch at 50 and 2 inch at 100 yard groups. I tend to favor 4227 in most of my hand gun calibers but I'm open to try others. I have a source of free lead for now and I do enjoy pouring my own so if I can for go the price of gc's this is as low cost as rimfire plinking.

So please help with any advice. Thanks Mike

[Kraschenbirn]

Dunno how it might size down for a .308 groove dia. but I've had nothing but good from the classic Lyman 312008 (my mold drops 118 gr. from 50/50 COWW/Range Scrap). Powder-coated, sized .314, and loaded over 6.0 gr AA#5, this boolit essentially duplicates the original BP ballistics in both my 1885 Low Wall and my buddy's (modern) SAA. Low Wall has a Shaver tang sight with a Lyman 17A front and 1 1/2" 5-shot groups at 100 yds are the norm (if I do my part). Haven't shot his fixed-sight six-gun at anything past 25 yards but easy enough to hold 'minute-of-liter bottle' at that distance.

Bill

[Harry O]

I once had a 30-20 Contender barrel. I also have several 32-20 revolvers and one rifle. The loads I had for the 32-20's were delightfully accurate. However, they were were mediocre in the 30-20 barrel (at best). This was with both jacketed and lead bullets. I decided not to load 30-20 cartridges, since I had so many 32-20's around. I got rid of the barrel. I would strongly recommend that you load 30-20's for a 30-20 barrel.

[GhostHawk]

My favorite 30 cal bullet across the board is the little Lee .314 90 gr tumble lubed truncated cone.

Its worked in everything I have tried it in.

Sized to .311 for .30-30, and .300BO, as cast for 7.62x25, 7.62x39, 7.62x54r.
Also as cast for .32sw long and soon for .32H&R Mag.

It just works. YMMV